What's Happening Today - Monday 22 November

China: 

South Korea's chief nuclear envoy Wi Sung-lac visits to discuss with counterpart Wu Dawei conditions for resuming six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear programme (-23)

South Korea: 

US special representative for North Korea policy Stephen Bosworth in Seoul to discuss ways to reopen the six-party talks at start of three-nation trip which includes Beijing and Tokyo 

South Korea: 

Annual large-scale military exercise Hoguk kicks off, involving 70,000 troops from Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps (-30)

Sri Lanka:

Colombo magistrate hears case of four Sinhala members of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. 

Russia

President Medvedev to address Federal Assembly. 

Russia:

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao visits Russia and Tajikistan (to Nov. 25).

Russia: 

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin hosts summit of heads of government in St Petersburg aimed at preventing extinction of tigers (-24)

Russia: 

Head of Investigations Committee under prosecutor's office Aleksandr Bastrykin meets villagers of Kushchevskaya, Krasnodar Territory, where 12 people have been recently killed in mass brawl 

Afghanistan:

Private security firms have a month to leave country with decree that they be dismantled by the end of Qaws [Afghan month beginning on 22 November].

Kyrgyzstan:

The trial of ousted President Kurmanbek Bakiyev and his relatives and former top officials accused of giving an order to shoot protesters during an antigovernment uprising in Bishkek resumes after defendants' lawyers boycotted hearing to demand security for themselves and for their clients.

Armenia:

90th anniversary of US President Woodrow Wilson's 1920 "act" under which Armenia would have a territory of about 160,000 square kilometers. Number of Armenian NGOs and parties to hold a forum on Wilson's act in Yerevan and suggested that Armenia should apply to the UN's International Court of Justice to demand condemnation of 1915 Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Turkey, declaring 22 November as Patriotism Day.

Iran: 

Persian Gulf International Conference kicks off in port city of Bandar Abbas (-23) 

Iran:

Basij Week begins

Iran:

Targeted Subsidies Plan begins, though many Iranians are expressing anxiety on how they can correct their financial information submitted to subscribe to the plan. 

UAE: 

Indian President Pratibha Patil visits (-24) 

Saudi Arabia: 

Lebanese Prime Minister Sa'd Al-Hariri wraps up visit 

Yemen:

Yemen's staging of the Gulf Football Cup is set to provide a test of the government's security control of the restive south of the country. 

Yemen:

Yemeni-Saudi borders witnessing heavy traffic tonight as football fans crossing from Arab Gulf countries to attend the Arab Gulf football championship held in the Aden and Abyan Governorates 

Lebanon:

Lebanese Independence Day (from the French). Military parade comes as Russia says it will delay delivery of Russian MI-24 attack helicopters to the Lebanese army (after lobbying from US and Israel).

Israel:

Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere visits Israel (to Nov. 24).

Israel:

Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini visits Israel.

Egypt:

South Sudan referendum registration exercise begins in Egypt, according to the Southern Sudan Referendum Commission

Libya:

Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov visits to discuss trade (-23) 

Ethiopia:

President Umar al-Bashir returns from Saudi Arabia after performing Haj to take part in the IGAD summit in Addis Ababa. Salva Kiir Mayardit also to attend to finalize remaining clauses related to the referendum 

Uganda:

East African Community Council of the Ministers meets at the Arusha International Conference Centre 

Botswana:

Chinese Vice-President, Xi Jinping wraps up a three-day official visit 

South Africa: 

Trial of alleged murderers of white supremacist and leader of paramilitary Afrikaner Resistance Movement (AWB) Eugene Terreblanche

South Africa:

Southern African Development Community (SADC) looks set to promote the European digital terrestrial television broadcasting standard, despite criticism from Angola.

Nigeria:

Deadline for submission of presidential candidates to INEC electoral commission.

Nigeria:

According to chairman of the Conference of State Legislatures of Nigeria, Istifanus Gbana, the second amendment to be ratified and made available to the national 

Ukraine:

Tymoshenko attends a rally outside parliament, criticizes a new draft tax on anniversary of Orange Revolution six years ago. Same day as EU-Ukraine Summit too.

Ukraine: 

Belgian Price Philippe visits as head of economic mission; meets President Viktor Yanukovych, Prime Minister Mykola Azarov to discuss bilateral economic cooperation (-25) 

Belarus: 

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov visits to discuss issues related to Customs Union (-23) 

Czech State:

President Vaclav Klaus meets German President Christian Wulff. A news conference to follow (1050).

Holland:

The Pre-Trial Chamber set the confirmation of charges hearing for Abdallah Banda and Saleh Jerbo accused of leading attack and killing African Union Peacekeepers in 2007 in North Darfur killing 12 soldiers.
    
Holland:

After three postponements, the ex-DRCongolese vice-president Jean-Pierre Bemba to stand trial for war crimes, crimes against humanity

Belgium:

EU-Ukraine summit. President Viktor Yanukovych says upgrading Ukraine's ageing gas pipeline network should not just be implemented by Russia as he does not intend to cede control of the Ukrainian gas pipelines to Russia. Ukraine also hopes that its plan on introducing visa-free travel with EU countries for short-term trips will be approved

US:

NASA to Launch Orbital Sciences Taurus Rocket, The Glory Mission to help increase our understanding of the Earth's energy balance by collecting data on the properties of aerosols and black carbon in the Earth's atmosphere and how the Sun's irradiance affects the Earth's climate.

Bolivia:

Ministers of Defence from the Americas gather to discuss security issues in the region (to Nov. 25).

Posted via email from luay's posterous